The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Private David William Brown, 6/44th Battalion, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on Private David William Brown, 6/44th Battalion, First World War.

Private David William Brown, 6/44th Battalion
DOD 28 October 1916

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private David William Brown.

David Brown was born in 1895 to William and Julia Brown of Perth. His father was the locomotive superintendent of the Midland Railway Company. After finishing his schooling, he went to work on the railways like his father. He undertook an apprenticeship at the government locomotive workshops as an electrical fitter, qualifying in 1916.

A few weeks after completing his apprenticeship, Dave Brown enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. His hope was that at some point after enlistment he would be able to transfer to a flying corps either in the Australian or British forces and transfer his electrical skills. But first he had to undertake infantry training, which he began at Blackboy Hill Camp.

One Thursday towards the end of October 1916, Private Brown’s training battalion undertook a nine-mile route march. On his return to barracks, he started showing signs of being unwell. The following day he was taken to the Blackboy Hospital, but it soon became clear that he was suffering from meningitis, and so he was taken to the infection diseases hospital at Subiaco.

Brown had been supposed to visit his parents that weekend, and after he failed to return his mother tried to contact the military authorities to see where her son was. Unfortunately she was not notified that her son was in hospital dangerously ill as she was making her enquiries, and by Saturday it was clear that his case was hopeless. Mr and Mrs Brown were finally formally notified of their son’s condition late on Saturday night. Within hours of that notification, David Brown died in hospital.

Today Private David Brown is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth under a military headstone. The young man willing to go to war died at home at the age of 21.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private David William Brown, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section